So, this game is great.
After beating RM 1-0 in my first game, I have gotten absolutely demolished 4-0 in consecutive games, one seasons and one friendly. This guy that just beat me playing as Bayern to my PSG was some kind of savant, and it should have been 10-0.
He didn't get his second until 65' or so, but then his third goal was just the dirtiest linking of passes I have probably ever seen. Every one looked fluid, was weighted well, and just found spaces/lanes that don't exist in FIFA. Unfortunately they just have highlights after the match, not full replay, so I can't show all but the last pass, but the movement was so cool I just sat there dumbdounded as everything worked for him. That said, even though I was outshot probably 9-1 at one point, I still felt like I had a few looks with Ibra when it was 1-0 that I could have finished, had I some idea of timing. Matchmaking in all 3 games has taken about a minute.
I feel like everyone playing this game is very good, there are no pubers to beat up on- their press is crazy, I didn't get the ball out of my half for 15 minutes, but it didn't feel cheesy like FIFA, and getting beat up felt earned.
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I downloaded a bunch of kits and logos off pesworld, but when I went to import them it looked like a shitload of work, probably anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour per league depending on how much you want to edit. Player names and likenesses are in the game already, though, so it's just if you want the proper kit, logo, etc. and not "North London" and a generic kit for Arsenal.
They even have manager faces and shit, but without any identifying names, they were all a bunch of twink brits that I have no idea who they are...You can set up all kinds of ridiculous tourneys using the official logos, which makes it more official. I guess you can even edit stadiums, but fuck that...Honestly, if I could pay some puber $100 for a half-day to set everything up, I would do it in a heartbeat.
Having the ability to set up a proper champions league is nice, and there are a fuckload of international teams to use if you want to set up an African Cup @Zeek @Hart4Heisman, or libertadores, etc.
I think you could take the time to do the EPL and maybe, maybe, another division or the Bundesliga, and it'd be indistinguishable from FIFA, except there's no DONG, which is kind of a dealbreaker, but I'll allow it.
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Gameplay wise, it's no contest, this game is much better. Just a more fluid, realistic game.
FIFA does most everything outside the actual game and the tournament options/depth better, at least what I've seen to this point.
I am going to play around a bit in offline, but aside from Turkeys, I don't see a need to play FIFA unless you are a hardcore EPL fan or you have no patience for PES's persistently bizarre UI. No verdict on career or anything yet, since I don't really get down with those.
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Buy this game so we can run some friendlies, followed by an African tournament that we will all lose interest in around the third group game...